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Culinaria
Hungary
Hungarian cookbook.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2000
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144 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 25, 2016
It's pretty difficult to find comprehensive, up to date works on Hungarian cuisine in English. I've long had a passion for Hungary and its culture, and had already gone through four or five cookbooks already and found them lacking.
When I heard about Culinaria Hungary and saw what good reviews it had, I thought I'd give it a try. And I'm glad I did! Culinaria Hungary not only is a really good cookbook, but it's quite beautiful and informative. I thought it was very clever of the editor to arrange the book not just by food types but also regions. Going through this give you an in depth look at Hungarian history and the different areas of the country in a way that's rare to get. I genuinely feel like I learned a lot I didn't know before.
As for the recipes, there's a good amount of them as well as a decent array as far as different types of dishes go. Too often if one tries to learn about Hungarian food the main thing that shows up is goulash, goulash, and more goulash. It makes the variety to be had in Culinaria Hungary all the more refreshing. Probably my one big criticism is that the book can be vague on the amount of time required for a dish and the actions one takes while cooking. There were a couple of times I had to head to the internet and look up a recipe just to get an idea of how long I should do something.
None the less, Culinaria Hungary is a great cookbook and one I highly recommend for anyone who wants to know more about Hungary or just try some great new food!
When I heard about Culinaria Hungary and saw what good reviews it had, I thought I'd give it a try. And I'm glad I did! Culinaria Hungary not only is a really good cookbook, but it's quite beautiful and informative. I thought it was very clever of the editor to arrange the book not just by food types but also regions. Going through this give you an in depth look at Hungarian history and the different areas of the country in a way that's rare to get. I genuinely feel like I learned a lot I didn't know before.
As for the recipes, there's a good amount of them as well as a decent array as far as different types of dishes go. Too often if one tries to learn about Hungarian food the main thing that shows up is goulash, goulash, and more goulash. It makes the variety to be had in Culinaria Hungary all the more refreshing. Probably my one big criticism is that the book can be vague on the amount of time required for a dish and the actions one takes while cooking. There were a couple of times I had to head to the internet and look up a recipe just to get an idea of how long I should do something.
None the less, Culinaria Hungary is a great cookbook and one I highly recommend for anyone who wants to know more about Hungary or just try some great new food!
March 12, 2011
This is my favorite set of cookbooks. These are like travel guides. Each region is carefully explained, and the food that region is known for is detailed. The pictures are exquisite. The books are so heavy that I have to get them down off the shelf for my mom and put her at the dining room table (as she's too little to hold these in her lap)! In Hungary, it's all about the spice, which Cameron loves and me...well not so much. So, I use this book for recipe ideas and then go and get more moderate recipes elsewhere. For looking at food and being consumed with the culture behind it, this series can't be beat.
March 7, 2023
Hungarian food is much more than goulash and paprika. It’s a rich cuisine that you can learn about through the pages of this book.
While presented as a cookbook, I think that the recipes could have been a bit more detailed. For example, when I tried making one of them, Paprikás Csirke (chicken paprika), I felt I needed more instructions as they seemed too vague, perhaps more aimed at experienced cooks.
What I found enriching was that I learned a lot about Hungarian culinary traditions and their historical context. About the ingredients, I noticed that it’s a cuisine heavily based on meat and, to my pleasant surprise, pasta is widely eaten.
I learned that, to release the full flavour and aroma of paprika, it is best to dissolve its powder in hot fat. But to avoid it burning and turning bitter, you must add and stir it in only after you have removed the pan from the heat.
Hungarian cuisine uses a large variety of cheese. In the book, there’s a two-page picture with a whole variety of cheese, which made my mouth water! They all looked delicious. I pictured eating them with a fragrant, freshly baked slice of bread, accompanied by a glass of Tokaji, the famous Hungarian wine, known as “the king of wines and the wine of kings“, as King Louis XV referred to it.
Reading about the cultivation of apricots (my favourite fruit, along with peaches) made me nostalgic because here in the UK I haven’t found apricots as juicy as I was used to in Italy. Also, reading about the morello cherries suddenly made me jump to my childhood. I loved sour cherries! The fascinating thing is that they’re used in soups in Hungary. Hungarians use other fruit as well in soup, such as apple. I find it a very interesting combination, and I wonder how it tastes.
I “armchair travelled” to some of the iconic coffee houses, such as the “New York Café“, and to the bustling big market in the heart of Budapest, also known as the “iron cathedral”. While reading, I felt like I was there, hearing the hum of the people talking and gazing at the busyness of the vendors.
I loved learning about how Hungarians traditionally feed themselves, but I hope the traditional division of gender roles is not as marked now as it’s described in the book (which was originally published 23 years ago).
Finally, I think that the book is cleverly structured, with its division into the different regions of the country. Also, the big, colourful, and mouth-watering pictures throughout it were a feast for the eyes, making it a truly immersive read.
* * * * *
Recommended For:
Anyone who is interested in Hungarian cuisine. This book provides a comprehensive introduction to Hungarian cooking, including traditional recipes, cooking techniques, and ingredients.
It is also a great resource for those who want to explore the history and culture of Hungary, as the book covers the country’s culinary traditions and their cultural significance.
While presented as a cookbook, I think that the recipes could have been a bit more detailed. For example, when I tried making one of them, Paprikás Csirke (chicken paprika), I felt I needed more instructions as they seemed too vague, perhaps more aimed at experienced cooks.
What I found enriching was that I learned a lot about Hungarian culinary traditions and their historical context. About the ingredients, I noticed that it’s a cuisine heavily based on meat and, to my pleasant surprise, pasta is widely eaten.
I learned that, to release the full flavour and aroma of paprika, it is best to dissolve its powder in hot fat. But to avoid it burning and turning bitter, you must add and stir it in only after you have removed the pan from the heat.
Hungarian cuisine uses a large variety of cheese. In the book, there’s a two-page picture with a whole variety of cheese, which made my mouth water! They all looked delicious. I pictured eating them with a fragrant, freshly baked slice of bread, accompanied by a glass of Tokaji, the famous Hungarian wine, known as “the king of wines and the wine of kings“, as King Louis XV referred to it.
Reading about the cultivation of apricots (my favourite fruit, along with peaches) made me nostalgic because here in the UK I haven’t found apricots as juicy as I was used to in Italy. Also, reading about the morello cherries suddenly made me jump to my childhood. I loved sour cherries! The fascinating thing is that they’re used in soups in Hungary. Hungarians use other fruit as well in soup, such as apple. I find it a very interesting combination, and I wonder how it tastes.
I “armchair travelled” to some of the iconic coffee houses, such as the “New York Café“, and to the bustling big market in the heart of Budapest, also known as the “iron cathedral”. While reading, I felt like I was there, hearing the hum of the people talking and gazing at the busyness of the vendors.
I loved learning about how Hungarians traditionally feed themselves, but I hope the traditional division of gender roles is not as marked now as it’s described in the book (which was originally published 23 years ago).
Finally, I think that the book is cleverly structured, with its division into the different regions of the country. Also, the big, colourful, and mouth-watering pictures throughout it were a feast for the eyes, making it a truly immersive read.
* * * * *
Recommended For:
Anyone who is interested in Hungarian cuisine. This book provides a comprehensive introduction to Hungarian cooking, including traditional recipes, cooking techniques, and ingredients.
It is also a great resource for those who want to explore the history and culture of Hungary, as the book covers the country’s culinary traditions and their cultural significance.
January 17, 2024
This book was a wonderful surprise! The photos are beautiful and there are lots of recipes. I am currently living in Hungary-- reading this book helped me understand the food and how it figures into the different geographic regions. I teach conversational English at a Primary School and now I feel a lot more comfortable ordering food in a Hungarian restaurant and when we talk about "favorite foods" on class I will know what my students are talking about- ha.
August 28, 2019
Some really good and tasty recipes, as well as a lot of interesting regional food history. A lot of information on specialty utensils and cooking styles, and some great photos. Try something new and check it out.
February 6, 2018
What a surprising find! This thorough survey of Hungarian food and culinary traditions is the best Hungarian travel guide I did NOT read before I moved there for three months. I learned about the book upon returning, and it lives up to its reputation as an excellent travelogue and recipe book. As the introduction says, "A country's cuisine says a lot about its history and culture...Where else would you learn more about a country and its people than its food and drink?" It goes without saying that I wish I had read Culinaria Hungary before traveling; it would have been an excellent primer for discovering the country's wonderful food and wine, of which I consumed a lot.
Although I didn't make many recipes during the three weeks I borrowed this book from my library, the text served more as a history of Hungarian food and people. The author delivers colorful accounts of wine and its regions (Hungary has incredible wine!), endless desserts and sweets, various vegetables, agricultural regions, and their foodstuffs and processing methods, artisanal foods, fish, holiday fare, and LOTS of meat. I eat very little meat—and I had no trouble finding excellent vegetarian food in Budapest—but I still found the carnivore sections interesting and informative. In short, there's as much history here as recipes so you don't need to cook everything to enjoy this book.
The author might be playing up the folklore and traditions more than is probably realistic, and I really hope the traditional gender roles she describes have relaxed somewhat since this book was published in 2006. Overall, it is a beautiful cookbook with a lot to offer anyone who wants to learn about the history of Hungary and its culinary traditions.
Although I didn't make many recipes during the three weeks I borrowed this book from my library, the text served more as a history of Hungarian food and people. The author delivers colorful accounts of wine and its regions (Hungary has incredible wine!), endless desserts and sweets, various vegetables, agricultural regions, and their foodstuffs and processing methods, artisanal foods, fish, holiday fare, and LOTS of meat. I eat very little meat—and I had no trouble finding excellent vegetarian food in Budapest—but I still found the carnivore sections interesting and informative. In short, there's as much history here as recipes so you don't need to cook everything to enjoy this book.
The author might be playing up the folklore and traditions more than is probably realistic, and I really hope the traditional gender roles she describes have relaxed somewhat since this book was published in 2006. Overall, it is a beautiful cookbook with a lot to offer anyone who wants to learn about the history of Hungary and its culinary traditions.
December 11, 2010
This is the first one of the Culinaria books that I've read and I really like the format. It's got a ton of tradtional and current Hungarian recipes, but it's also got sections of cultural and historical sections on all things involving food and drink in this country - including paprika production, tokay wines, hog butchering, etc. It even has bits on famous resturants, coffee houses, and bakeries. Holidays and holiday food are also covered. I am very impressed.
August 22, 2008
One of the best boooks I've ever seen on Hungarian Cuisine. Great, mouth watering photographs, easy directions.
June 3, 2010
The best chicken paprika recipes! I got this book because it was on sale in a bookstore and it made me appreciate hungarian cuisine. You should also try langos and handmade dumplings.
August 14, 2012
The table of contents is somewhat nonsensical and the index is useless, but everything my mother and I have made from this book comes out tasting just like my grandmother used to make.
June 9, 2015
Beautiful book combining history, culture, flavour and recipes. Love it.
February 18, 2018
beautiful photos. I love to read about food.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews